At the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah gathered with the CEOs of Unilever and Monsanto to support the launch of WEF's global framework titled "Realizing a New Vision for Agriculture." The show of support emphasizes USAID's leadership in creating synergies between the public and private sectors to meet the global food security challenge.

On January 27th, the U.S. government and the government of the Russian Federation, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation (MOHSD), signed a Protocol of Intent on Cooperation for the Global Eradication of Polio.

Today, marking his first year as USAID Administrator, Dr. Rajiv Shah delivered a major address on The Modern Development Enterprise, highlighting a savings of $65 million over five years in operational costs, addressing the current state of development and formally announcing the Agency's 50th anniversary.

On January 19th, the Board of Directors of the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (AAEF) presented a ceremonial check for $15 million to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to be returned to the U.S. Treasury on behalf of the American people.

USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah will deliver a major address today at 2pm at an event hosted by the Center for Global Development on The Modern Development Enterprise, addressing the current state of development and formally announcing the Agency's 50th anniversary.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced today that Haitian mobile operator Digicel won a $2.5 million award from the Haiti Mobile Money Initiative (HMMI). Digicel was recognized for being the first to launch a mobile money service in Haiti, Tcho Tcho Mobile, that meets the competition's stringent criteria.

On January 4, 2011, the Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr. Rajiv Shah reached out to faith-based and nongovernmental organizations during the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships event, co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and USAID, to convey the importance of partnership on reducing hunger and poverty.

Washington, DC - On December 17, Science Magazine recognized a promising HIV study as one of the top ten achievements of 2010. The groundbreaking research provided the first-ever proof of concept that a microbicide can effectively and safely reduce HIV transmission in women. Ninety percent of the study was funded by USAID as part of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

Washington, DC - On December 22, the United States Senate voted to confirm Paige Alexander as the Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

WASHINGTON, DC – Over the next five years, more than a quarter of a million Congolese will benefit from assistance aimed at preventing sexual and gender-based violence and assisting survivors thanks to three programs funded by the United States through the U.S. Agency for International Development.

On December 7, 2010, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a luncheon to honor 18 Presidential Volunteer Service Award recipients for their volunteer work under the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer program.

WASHINGTON, DC – Following is the text of a joint statement by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) suspended the Academy for Educational Development (AED) from receiving new U.S. Government awards pending an ongoing investigation by the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG). Initial findings by USAID's OIG reveal evidence of serious corporate misconduct, mismanagement, and a lack of internal controls, and raise serious concerns of corporate integrity.

The investigation was initiated in the spring of 2009 and OIG informed USAID of its findings this summer.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) arrived in Haifa, Israel on December 5 to help combat the wildfires that began on December 2 in Northern Israel. In addition, the United States transported nearly 70 metric tons (MT) of fire suppressant and 3,800 gallons of fire retardant concentrate to Israel on December 5.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Monday, December 6, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Energy Association (USEA), and the Russian Energy Agency (REA) will conduct a workshop to bring together U.S. and Russian energy experts from government, technology vendors, transmission and distribution companies and others to collaborate on smart grid development.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Government, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is immediately dispatching U.S. Department of Defense aircraft to aid in the suppression of the raging wildfires in Israel.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is immediately deploying a team of firefighting experts and airlifting much-needed firefighting supplies to Israel to assist in fighting the raging wildfires in the Carmel Mountains outside of Haifa, Israel.

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, USAID's Sudan Deputy Mission Director, Susan Fine, will inaugurate the opening of an HIV/AIDS resource center in southern Sudan, on December 1-the 22nd annual World AIDS Day. Services provided at the resource center will include education on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, counseling and testing, referrals for other services and treatment, and recreation activities, particularly for youth.